Device for raising sunken vessels.



H.- LOTZ. DEVICE FOR RAISINGSUNKBN vsssms.

AYPLIUATION FILED .IULYlO, 1914. v

Patented Ma1123, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

HENRY LOTZ, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR RAISING .Ffl'llfl'KiElhT VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

Application filed July 10, 1914. Serial No. 850,194.

To all 1071071: it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY Lo'rz, a subject of the Czar of Russia,residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for RaisingSunken Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to devices for raising sunken vessels and has forits object to provide an apparatus of strong and reliable constructionfor raising the large modern type of vessels.

Another object is the provision of an apparatus of this characterembodying a buoy for locating the sunken vessel secured to the vessel bya suitable rope, or the like, constituting a guide rope or line forguiding the raising lines to operative position on grapples carried bythe sunken structure.

Another object is the provision of means for maintaining the vessel onan even kneel as it is raised to the surface of the water.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will behereinafter specifically described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying ,drawings, in which:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a vessel equipped with a part ofthe raisingapparatus. F ig. 2 represents a front el, evation of theship, showing several of the lines in raised position. F ig. 3represents a. view in side elevation illustrating tbe manner of raisingthe sunken vessel by the improved. apparatus. Fig.4 represents anenlarged detail view of a part'of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts throughout the severalviews. the numeral 5indicates gen-' orally a vessel at the bow and stern of which a line orcable 6 is coiled upon the deck.

One end of the line 6 issecured to the vessel 5 and the opposite endisprovided with a hook 7 removably engaged over the stall 8 projectingupwa dly from the upper end of the buoy 9 carrying an eye 10 at itslower extremity through which the line 6 passes.

Cables 11 are arranged longitudinally of the opposite side and under thebody of the ship, the front and rear terminals of the cables 11 beingsecured to the shanks 12.

cent the center of the sides of the vessel, and

the ends of cables or the like 16 are attached thereto. The cables 16are normally coiled upon the decks of the vessel adjacent the hooks andcarry at theirends opposite the latter circular buoys 17 adapted to ap-"pour on the surface of the water as the vesso! 5 nears the surfacewhile being raised.

The raising ship 20 is provided with the usual crane 21 carryingthepulley 22 at its upper extremitv over which is extended the raisingline 23 attached at one end to a. power operated winding-drum, or thelike, (not shown). The opposite extremityof the raising line 23 isprovided with an an.- nular member 24 carrying a plurality of eves25.Auxiliary or guide lines 26 are attachedto the eyes. 25 on oppositesides of the raising line 23'. To raise a vessel equipped with theherein-clescribed raising devices, the rings 24 carried the raising line,of two raising ships 20 are positioned over the line 6, the hookedextremities '7 ofwhich are raised to the surface of the water bv thefloat or buoy 9 after the vessel 5 sinks. The annular members 24 arepreferablv formed of heavy metal and slip downwardly on the lines 6 andover one-or more of the arms 13 of the grapples at the bow and stern ofthe sunken ship. In this way thelower ex remities of the raising linesor cables 23 are attached to the sunken vessel, which latter 1S raisedas the'cables 23 are drawn up by suitable devices, not shown, carried bythe raising ship 20. As the sunken vessel nears the surface of the waterthe auxiliary buoys 17 carried by the short cables or lines 16 float tothe surface of the water. and as the lines 16 are of exactly the samelength it is clearly evident that by retaining the buoys 17 the sameingthe first mentioned line, an annular member, a plumhty of eyes carriedby said annular member, :1 raising hne attached to 15' one of said eyes,and guide hues securedm the other eyes.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY LOTZ.

Witnesses:

Mien: A. SULLNAN, KARL ii. Scuomere

